In the vein of Knowledge@Wharton and Harvard Business School Working Knowledge (both of which have come out with new issues over the past few days, for those interested), Columbia Business School announced earlier this week that it will be launching a similar publication to showcase faculty research and bridge the gap between business theory and practice. The first issue of Columbia Ideas at Work focuses on issues surrounding entrepreneurship – no surprise given the program’s emphasis on this area (for instance, in Dean Glenn Hubbard’s quote in this and last years’ application essay question).
Speaking of which, we’d like to take this opportunity to offer some advice on how to tackle the essay topic in question:
In discussing Columbia Business School, Dean R. Glenn Hubbard remarked, “We have established the mind-set that entrepreneurship is about everything you do.” Please discuss a time in your own life when you have identified and captured an opportunity.
The adcom is obviously looking for a success story here, but this is a bit more nuanced – in responding to this question, it’s important that applicants highlight their initiative and resourcefulness in identifying and capitalizing on an opportunity that others missed. You might also need to explain the process of getting those others behind your plan (a great way to highlight your interpersonal skills). Remember that specific anecdotes will make a stronger impression on the reader than generalizations, and that an account of the steps you took to implement your idea are just as interesting as the results. While it’s a great idea to write about a positive impact you made in the workplace, you need not limit yourself to a discussion of your professional accomplishments. Think broadly about your activities and experiences to date in order to arrive at an example of a time when your entrepreneurial spirit really came through.
